


Morgana's Perfect Wedding

by SPowell



Category: Merlin (TV)
Genre: Established Relationship, M/M, Medical Emergency, Wedding, homophobic remarks, pretend relationship with a twist
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-10-10
Updated: 2015-10-10
Packaged: 2018-04-25 17:51:03
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 3
Words: 7,803
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/4970578
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/SPowell/pseuds/SPowell
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Arthur and Merlin will pretend for Morgana's sake, but they won't like it.</p><p>Note: No insult intended to the general population of Wisconsin.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. Chapter One

**Author's Note:**

> I thought of this scenario on a drive back from an appointment yesterday and had to write it. I hope you enjoy it.

_Ladies and gentlemen, we are approaching Heathrow Airport. As we start our descent, please make sure your **seat backs** and **tray tables** are in their full upright position. Make sure your **seat belt** is securely fastened and all **carry-on luggage** is stowed underneath the seat in front of you or in the overhead bins. Please turn off all **electronic devices** until we are safely parked at the gate. Thank you._

“Merlin, wake up. We’re about to land.” Arthur lightly prodded Merlin in the side.

With a short, undignified snort, Merlin opened his eyes. Cornflower blue and surrounded by a black fringe of lashes, Merlin’s eyes could slay Arthur with a glance and frequently did.

Merlin winced as he drew his long legs out of their cramped position and blinked at his surroundings as though he’d forgotten where he was. Arthur couldn’t blame him; Merlin had barely stepped off the plane from a business trip to California before he was boarding this one to London.

“Have a good nap?” Arthur asked, trepidation settling in his stomach now that the moment had arrived. _Damn you, Morgana!_

Merlin rubbed at his eyes and fastened his seat belt before turning to smile at Arthur. Arthur allowed himself a moment to bask in it before dropping the bomb.

“There’s something I need to tell you, and you’re not going to like it.”

The cabin pressure dropped as the plane began its descent. Below, the lights of London twinkled in the darkness, but Arthur kept his eyes on Merlin, who frowned at Arthur’s serious tone.

“What is it?”

Arthur gnawed at his bottom lip.

“Arthur?”

“It’s just…” Arthur sighed. “I promised Morgana something, and I wish I hadn’t. I just didn’t see any way around it. I’m sorry, love, but it’s her _wedding_. What was I supposed to say?”

“What?” Merlin’s voice took on a sour, suspicious note.

“She asked me that we not let anyone know we’re together.”

Brows as dark and graceful as raven’s wings dipped downward, and Merlin opened his mouth to say something, but Arthur rushed on before he could.

“Just until the wedding’s over. Steve’s parents are terrible homophobes—absolute berks, and she doesn’t want the wedding ruined by their over-the-top reaction to us.”

“But that’s…that’s awful! This is 2015 and we’re married, for Christ’s sake. Why should we have to pretend?”

“I know, I know.” Arthur shook his head. “I don’t like it either.”

“And added to that, why in the hell would I even go to her wedding with you? Have you thought of that?”

“Erm, yeah.” Arthur made a wry face. “Morgana told them you’re my PA.”

“Your PA! What the fuck, Arthur?” Merlin sat up even straighter in his seat. “I’m an attorney! I handled your company’s multi-million dollar screw up. If you’ll remember correctly, it’s how we met.” He shook his head. “Your PA. Why couldn’t you be _my_ PA?”

“Because they already know I’m CEO of Pendragon Industries in the States.” As the wheels of the plane bounced onto the tarmac, Arthur put his hand over Merlin’s. “I’m sorry, Merlin. I know it’s awful.”

“It’s more than awful, it’s fucking stupid!” Merlin began muttering to himself as the plane slowed, occasionally glancing at Arthur with annoyance.

“Morgana’s been planning her wedding since she was six-years-old,” Arthur tried to explain. “She wants it to be perfect, and evidently Steve’s parents would react very badly to the news that her brother’s a homosexual.”

Merlin only grunted and crossed his arms over his chest. Arthur let him alone; he’d known how Merlin would react and couldn’t blame him; the only thing Arthur could do was let Merlin alone to process.

They didn’t speak again until they’d collected their shoulder bags from overhead and were making their way out of the plane and into the airport. Arthur was stewing a bit himself; Morgana could have found a better cover for them than making Merlin Arthur’s PA, but she’d spoken without thinking. They’d had a row about it on the phone the day before.

“Why the hell didn’t you tell me this earlier?” Merlin finally asked as they entered the airport and began the walk to baggage claim.

“You’d just returned from California, and here we were going to London. I wanted you to be able to rest.”

“You wanted to spring it on me, more like.”

Arthur rubbed his hand over his face.

“Let’s just make the best of it, yeah?”

When they’d retrieved their suitcases from the carousel, Arthur looked around.

“There’s Morgana.”

Arthur’s sister stood off to the side of the crowd, black hair pulled into a high ponytail and pretty face sans makeup. When she spotted Arthur and Merlin, she waved and walked toward them, hugging each in turn.

“I’m so sorry,” Morgana said to Merlin. “I suppose Arthur told you about the lie.”

“He did, and I have to say I’m not happy about it, Morgana. Arthur and I are married and completely out. We shouldn’t have to hide like this. I take cases on discrimination all the time—I never expected I’d be forced to hide my orientation myself.”

“I’m so sorry! I bollixed it up, too, by opening my big mouth and saying you’re Arthur’s personal assistant. I know that doesn’t sit well with you, either.”

At Morgana’s genuine look of guilty contrition and worry, Merlin took her hand and squeezed it.

“Never mind. It’s done. And I do want you to have your perfect wedding. We’ll talk payback later, yeah?” He grinned, and Morgana hugged him again.

“You’re the best, and I’m so sorry. I’ll make it up to you somehow.” She hooked one arm in Merlin’s and the other in Arthur’s and they stepped through the sliding doors out into the overcast day.

“What about me?” Arthur asked her as they walked toward her car, he and Merlin pulling their luggage along behind them.

“You’re my brother; you have to do as I say.”

Arthur just smiled and let Morgana lead them to her SUV.

“They’re beasts, Steve’s parents,” Morgana said as they loaded their bags in the back. “You don’t understand; these people act as though they haven’t an enlightened bone in their bodies. When I say they would react badly to your relationship, believe me, I’m putting it lightly.”

“They sound charming,” Arthur said. “Are you sure you want them for in-laws?”

“Oh, Steve’s nothing like them, I assure you; and we’ll rarely see his parents, as they live in Newcastle. I just want my wedding to be the one I’ve dreamed of. The next day, you and Merlin can snog at the breakfast table, for all I care.”

Morgana drove them to a nearby restaurant where they met Steve. Arthur had previously met the man briefly on Skype when he was at Morgana’s flat, and found him to be intelligent and friendly. Arthur really had no brotherly worries for Morgana; she could absolutely take care of herself.

“You look taller in person,” Arthur joked as he shook Steve’s hand. Steve laughed.

“You look healthier. Morgana’s laptop has colour issues. It’s stuck on a green tint, and she refuses to buy another. You’d think she was destitute rather than one of the wealthiest women in Britain.”

“Well, I didn’t get that way by chucking perfectly usable computers,” Morgana said, wrapping her arm through Steve’s. They looked good together, and Arthur thought his sister looked happier than he’d ever seen her. At that moment Arthur thought a couple days of the ruse was a small price to pay to give her the dream wedding she deserved.

“Steve, this is my husband, Merlin,” Arthur said, and Merlin stepped forward, smiling.

“Nice to meet you.” Merlin said, and they shook hands.

“I’m sorry you have to go through this silly farce,” Steve said when they were seated and had ordered drinks. He held Morgana’s hand in his. “We really hadn’t given much thought to my folks and how they might react to your relationship until the other day.” His mobile rang. “Sorry, hang on. I wouldn’t take this, but my parent’s might not be able to find the hotel.”

Arthur waved him off to take the call, and turned to Morgana.

“Arthur, you’ve said your tux fits well, right?” Morgana asked, and Arthur nodded, rolling his eyes at her because he’d told her so at least three times in the past forty-eight hours.

“The rehearsal’s tomorrow, then dinner afterward.” Morgana looked suddenly uncomfortable.

“What is it?” Arthur asked.

Morgana’s eyes flicked between her brother and brother-in-law.

“I’m so sorry, but…well, Arthur, you’re in the wedding party, so of course you’ll attend, but…”

“I think I know where this is going,” Merlin said.

“I’m sorry.” Morgana looked truly aggrieved, “but I just couldn’t think of a reason that my brother’s PA should be at the rehearsal and rehearsal dinner.”

Arthur frowned. It was one thing pretending they weren’t a couple, but to bar Merlin from the festivities didn’t sit well with him. The rehearsal was one thing—Arthur didn’t particularly look forward to that himself—but the dinner afterward?

“It’s okay,” Merlin said, putting a hand on Arthur’s leg. “Really. I have a lot of work I need to catch up on, anyway. I can stay in our hotel room and make calls. It’ll be fine.”

Merlin’s willingness to put his own feelings aside in order to smooth things over for Arthur was one of the many things Arthur loved about him. It was also one of several reasons Arthur felt Merlin didn’t deserve to be left out in this way.

“I don’t know, Morgana,” Arthur said. “Fuck, you should have just said Merlin was a friend of yours and was flying in with me. This PA thing is stupid.”

“We’ve been over this, and it’s too late now.”

Arthur could tell by his sister’s face that she regretted her hasty cover story to Steve’s parents and every slight it caused to Merlin; he took a deep breath and told himself to settle down. Merlin’s warm hand on Arthur’s thigh helped a bit.

Morgana looked to Steve, who had just ended his call.

“I told you we should have said he was a friend of mine from uni and made him a groomsman,” Steve said. “Then he could have gone to everything.”

“But he wouldn’t have a reason to interact with Arthur at all,” Morgana said. “Not to mention the fact that he wouldn’t have had time to be fitted for a tux, what with his trip to California. And I’ll bet your parents already know all your uni friends—the ones you’d consider for best man, at any rate.” Morgana shook her head. “Fuck. If this all hadn’t been so last minute…” She looked unhappily down at her plate.

The last thing Arthur wanted was for Morgana to start regretting her wedding. Merlin seemed to feel the same, for he reached across the table to pat her hand.

“Never mind, Morgana,” Merlin said. “We’ll get through this. The most important thing is you get the wedding you’ve always dreamed of. It’s only in public that we have to pretend, anyway.”

“You didn’t tell them about the hotel room?” Steve asked.

“Bugger it, no. I hadn’t gotten to it yet.” Morgana looked close to tears.

“What about the hotel room?” Arthur asked.

“It’s just…think about it, Arthur!” Morgana sat back in her chair. “There’d be no reason for you to share a room with your PA, would there? That would look very odd.”

“Great,” Arthur huffed. “You got us separate rooms. Are you sure Steve’s parents are going to be paying this much attention to us?” The muscle in Arthur’s jaw jumped. The thought of three nights in a hotel without Merlin in his bed, especially after having been without him an entire week prior, sounded like pure hell. “Surely we can get away with sharing a room without them finding out about it.”

“They’re on the same floor,” Morgana said. “All the guests are. We arranged it this way.”

“Bloody hell, Morgana!”

“Arthur,” Merlin put a hand on Arthur’s arm. “It will be fine. Really.”

Arthur turned incredulous eyes on Merlin. “No, Merlin. You were right in the first place. We shouldn’t have to do this.”

“This is your sister’s big day. We’ll never have to see Steve’s parents again,” Merlin said, running his fingers soothingly along Arthur’s thigh.

“Which is all the more reason for them to accept that we’re a couple for their son’s sake!”

“I’m afraid my parents aren’t gracious enough to be tolerant for my sake,” Steve said. “Truly, I’m embarrassed by this whole mess. Sometimes I can’t believe I’m really their son—like maybe they found me under a cabbage leaf or something…Oh, shit.”

“What?” Morgana asked. Her eyes widened as they followed Steve’s. “Steve, what are they doing here?”

“They just called. I forgot, in the midst of all this. They wanted to eat with us,” Steve rushed to say before turning to greet his parents.

Steve’s mother was a short, plump woman with hair dyed an odd shade of burgundy and a dress that, although obviously expensive, didn’t suit her at all. His father was very tall and thin with a beard a little too long to be stylish and a large silver disk threaded on black string at his throat in lieu of a tie. His shirt was a loud shade of red that clashed with his wife’s hair and frankly hurt Arthur’s eyes.

Morgana made introductions all around, and Arthur felt Merlin pulling away so as not to be seated so intimately near Arthur. That, more than anything that had happened so far, made Arthur’s blood boil, and he suddenly wondered if he would really be able to go along with the charade.

“So, Merlin is your PA, Arthur?” Steve’s mother asked. She’d told everyone to call her Denise and her husband Bud. “Morgana said you’d be bringing him along.”

Arthur glanced at Merlin and struggled to answer, while at the same time wondering why the woman hadn’t addressed the question to Merlin rather than acting like he wasn’t right there sitting between them.

“Merlin is Arthur’s right hand man, you might say,” Morgana saved Arthur by replying. “Arthur absolutely can’t do without him, can you, Arthur?”

“I can’t,” Arthur agreed truthfully. Arthur could feel the waves of annoyance rolling off Merlin at being portrayed as Arthur’s glorified secretary as well as being treated like a second class citizen.

“Must be, to bring him all the way to London with you,” Bud said, slathering a glob of honey butter on one of the rolls the waiter set in front of them and popping half of it into his mouth.

“Where I go, Merlin goes,” was all Arthur could find to say. “I see the both of you are married.” Denise eyed their wedding rings, and the four young people at the table cast surreptitious looks at one another. Arthur hadn’t thought to remove his and Merlin’s wedding bands, and to be honest, he wasn’t sure he’d be willing to do so.

“Where are your wives?” Bud asked. Steve interrupted with an obviously made up on the spot question about the reception, and the conversation turned. Arthur glanced at Merlin, who sat eating his salad with unusual concentration.

“I’m sorry,” Arthur said later when they stood in front of Arthur’s hotel room door, an entire five doors that might as well have been five miles down from Merlin’s. The least Morgana could’ve done was put them side by side, but knowing his sister as Arthur did, she probably did it on purpose so Arthur and Merlin wouldn’t be as tempted to sneak around. “This is really a load of shite. I should have said no to Morgana when she proposed the whole idea, though to be fair, she only sprung this on me a couple days ago.”

“No way out of it now,” Merlin said.

“Want to come in with me?” Arthur asked. They hadn’t made love in over a week, and more than anything, Arthur wanted to hold Merlin in his arms, kiss those soft, cushiony lips, and...

“Too risky, don’t you think? Someone might see me leaving. Besides, something I ate didn’t agree with me, and I really haven’t caught up on my sleep. I think I’ll just go to bed.”

Before he could walk away, Arthur grabbed Merlin’s hand and squeezed it.

“You’re angry.”

“A little.” Merlin shrugged. “But you know me; I’ll get over it.”

Arthur wanted to kiss Merlin goodnight, but the sound of approaching voices stopped him. Unhappily, he watched Merlin walk down the hall and slip into his room.

“Fuck it, Morgana,” Arthur said later when he’d rung her on the hotel phone. He sat on the bed wearing a pair of pajama bottoms, his bare feet crossed at the ankle. “This isn’t fair to Merlin at all.” Sounds of giggling and chatter on Morgana’s end furthered Arthur’s annoyance. “And what the bloody hell is going on in your room?”

“I’m having a party with my bridesmaids. They’re plying me with champagne and doing my nails.” Morgana hiccupped.

“You’re already drunk?”

“No, I’m not drunk! I just have the hiccups.” _hic_ “I’m sorry, Arthur. Truly. I never realised what I was asking of you until tonight.” She hiccupped again. “Dinner was truly awful, wasn’t it?”

That was an understatement. Listening to that buffoon go on about every dollar he spent on their recent vacation to Spain was sickening. Arthur sighed. He had to keep reminding himself why he was doing this.

“I can see what you’re up against, I guess. When Bud said he bet the waiter was one of those _shirt-biting faggots_ , I thought Merlin was going to go berserk.”

“I really owe him. Both of you.” _hic_ “Steve and I were talking, and we thought perhaps the two of you would like to take a second honeymoon in his chalet in the Swiss Alps. The magazine owns it, actually. Anytime you want, just let us know.”

“Well, that may go a ways in smoothing things over with Merlin, I guess. Okay, I’ll let you get back to your little soiree. Don’t get too pissed—you’ll look like hell tomorrow.”

“See you at breakfast, Arthur. Downstairs at eight-thirty. _Oh, a stripper!_ Bye, Arthur.”

Arthur rang off. He sent a text to Merlin about breakfast and ended it with several hearts plus a lewd post script of pointing fingers and okay signs followed by eggplants and fists. He knew everything was okay when Merlin sent back a line of round-mouthed faces followed by a rooster.


	2. Chapter Two

The following morning, Arthur was outside Merlin’s door at twenty minutes after eight.

“You don’t look so hot,” he said as they walked to the elevators. Merlin was pale and appeared as though he hadn’t slept.

“Didn’t sleep very well,” Merlin said. “My stomach was upset. I think it was all the hot wings _Bud_ pushed on us at dinner.”

Arthur was about to launch into a tirade about the hellish meal when a door opened and Bud and Denise Billings appeared in the corridor.

“Arthur!” Bud smiled. “Hello, Merlin,” he added, as though as an afterthought. Both Bud and Denise were dressed as though they were trying too hard to appear carelessly affluent.

“New money,” Arthur whispered as he and Merlin stood back to allow the older couple to board the lift. Merlin snickered.

“Tell me about your wife,” Denise said to Arthur once the doors slid shut on them all. Arthur had given this some thought and had decided to be as truthful as possible in his answers.

“Just picture a gorgeous, clever brunet with a heart of gold.” He met Merlin’s eyes across the lift, and Merlin smiled.

“Have you met Mrs Pendragon?” Bud asked Merlin.

“Er, yes. Lovely person. Although she can be a little crabby at times.”

“Always justifiably,” Arthur said. “I’m not an easy man to live with.”

“I can testify to that, being your _PA_ and all,” Merlin said, and Arthur had to pull his gaze from the intensity of Merlin’s. He wanted to push Merlin up against the wall of the lift and snog him senseless, the cheeky devil. Instead, he shoved his hands in his trouser pockets and bit his lip until it hurt.

“What about your wife?” Denise asked Merlin. “Is she okay with you flying across the pond to be with your employer at a wedding, of all things?”

“Of course,” Merlin said. “If Arthur needs me, I’m there.”

“Admirable. So this is a working trip?” Bud turned to Arthur, who was relieved that the lift doors finally slid open.

“I have to work when I can. “

“Even your sister’s wedding?” Denise was obviously not impressed.

“He runs a huge business, dear,” Bud said, as though she couldn’t possibly understand as he did. “He has to keep it going. It’s not like he’s set up the way we are.” Bud smiled at Arthur as they stepped off the lift. “I don’t know if Morgana even knows this, but we won the lottery ten years ago. Five million buckeroos. That’s when we moved here and sent Steve to Newcastle University.”

“Where are you from originally?” Merlin asked, avoiding Arthur’s _I told you they were new money_ look.

“Wisconsin. Home of cheese.”

Arthur had to force his eyes away from his husband, or he knew he’d laugh. They headed for the dining room.

“And look at our boy now,” Bud said. “He runs his own magazine and is rich in his own right.” Bud puffed his chest out like a bandy rooster, short legs struggling to keep up with Arthur’s long stride.

“I don’t know him well, but he seems like a very affable bloke.” Arthur was sure Merlin could detect his unsaid, _Unlike you._ “Morgana is certainly head-over-heels for him.” He quickened his pace toward the dining room.

“I’ll admit I wasn’t so sure about your sister at first,” Bud said, beginning to pant. Arthur stiffened and looked at Bud. “I mean, she runs your company here, and that seems a bit much for a woman. What happens when they want kids?”

 _Oh, my God. Morgana is going to throttle this arsehole before her first year of marriage is through,_ Arthur thought. He glanced at Merlin, who appeared to be thinking along the same lines. They both knew Morgana well; although she was willing to make this concession in order to bring off her perfect wedding without a hitch, she was unlikely to take any crap off Bud and Denise in future.

In the hotel dining room, three floor to ceiling windows overlooked the city. A huge buffet had been set up in the middle of the room, complete with an ice swan and a chef making omelets to order. Several of the wedding party and guests were already seated at a long table in the back.

“Good morning!” Morgana stood to kiss each of them on the cheek. “I hope you slept well.”

“The beds could be better,” Bud said, rubbing the small of his back. “I’ll have to say something to management.”

“My bed is very comfortable,” Merlin said.

But eyed the buffet. “Good Lord, do we have to get our food ourselves?”

“I’ll get you a plate, Dad,” Steve said, and stood. Merlin followed.

Arthur greeted the other guests sitting near him before turning to study his sister. He thought she looked a bit frazzled and tired.

“Shouldn’t have imbibed so much last night,” he said sotto voce. “How was the stripper?”

“Did you say stripper?” Denise asked, hand to heart. Morgana kicked Arthur under the table, and he winced.

“No, no. I said ‘dipper.’ Morgana went to the roof to look at the stars last night.”

“Oh, how nice,” Denise said. “I guess-- if you have time for such things. I’ve always thought a good book a better way to spend an evening.”

“Oh? What are you reading?” Morgana asked.

“It’s called _Love on the Prow.”_

“The prowl?” Merlin asked as he sat down with his plate. Arthur stole a slice of bacon off it, and Merlin slapped his hand. Denise gave them an odd look before correcting Merlin.

“No, the _prow_. As on a ship. The main character is a girl who stows away on a cargo ship and falls in love with the handsome, sexy captain.”

“Oh.” Arthur raised a brow at Morgana before biting into the bacon. “Sounds like something you might enjoy, Morgana.” He stifled a yelp when she kicked him again. At this rate his leg would be black and blue before breakfast was over.

Bud and Steve returned with their food, and Arthur got up to get his. As he dished Eggs Benedict onto his plate, Merlin slid in beside him under the guise of getting more bacon.

“I’m going bonkers,” he whispered. “I can’t wait for this to be over. _Love on the Prow_ —my God, a bodice ripper!”

“A bit of a snob, are we?” Arthur smirked at Merlin.

“What? No! But they’re—they’re just awful!” Merlin shuddered, and Arthur laughed. Obviously the gaucheness of Steve’s family was too much even for non-judgmental Merlin.

“Don’t worry; it won’t be long now.”

Although Merlin had quite a bit of food on his plate, Arthur noticed he didn’t eat much of it.

“Will Merlin be typing something up for you during the wedding rehearsal later?” Denise asked Arthur as they made their way back upstairs after breakfast. Thankfully, Merlin was quite a ways ahead and probably didn’t hear, although the man seemed to have the ears of a bat. They were large enough, Arthur smiled to himself. Merlin’s ears were a sore spot with him, but Arthur adored them. They made Merlin look like a guileless boy rather than the sharp-witted man he was, plus they were quite sensitive to Arthur's licks and bites.

Denise was staring at him, and Arthur had to think a moment to come up with what she’d asked him.

“Um, yes, he’ll have quite a bit to do.”

Once back in his room and away from the infernal couple, Arthur called Merlin on the hotel phone.

“You have got to come over here, now. I need you. My cock is trying to burst its way out of my trousers.”

“Arthur, you know we’ll get caught if we do that. You’ll just have to wait.”

“Until we get home? You're joking!”

Arthur heard Merlin’s chuckle over the line.

“Bastard,” Arthur muttered.

“You’ll make it. There’s always your hand.”

“I’d rather have _your_ hand,” Arthur said. “Or better yet…your mouth. And I want to suck on your ears in the worst way, Merlin.”

Merlin made a noise that didn’t help the state of Arthur’s cock at all and then rang off.

After a fast wank, Arthur spent the afternoon napping. He awoke to his mobile phone alarm and quickly got into the shower.

The rehearsal went well, with the usual laughter over nerves and who should be standing where. Morgana got teary-eyed over Arthur walking her down the aisle, and Bud and Denise stood in for Morgana and Steve at the altar, as it was purportedly bad luck for the bride and groom to do it themselves.

“That’ll be you two in thirty years,” Arthur whispered to Morgana, and she elbowed him in the ribs.

“Bite your tongue.”

“I think I just did,” Arthur muttered, suddenly recalling why he’d spent much of his childhood bruised and sore.

They held the rehearsal dinner in a private dining room. Arthur could barely eat, he felt so guilty over Merlin all alone up in his room. Arthur wrapped some prime rib in a napkin, along with half a baked potato and several asparagus spears. He caught Morgana watching him and defied her with his eyes to make fun of him for it. She only smiled gently, though, and Arthur settled down, the bundle of food a small, warm bulge in his jacket.

When everyone had finished eating and toasting Morgana and Steve, Arthur excused himself.

“I must see how Merlin is getting on with the…er…contracts,” he said loudly so that Denise and Bud would be sure to hear. “Morgana, I’ll see you tomorrow on the big day.” He kissed her cheek and left the dining room before anyone might try to stop him.

Once on their floor, Arthur rapped loudly on Merlin’s door with his knuckles.

“There’s no one about,” Arthur said, when Merlin opened the door. “I already announced to the entire room that I’d be in here with you, anyway.” He kicked the door shut and pulled Merlin to him, kissing him hungrily. After a moment, Arthur stepped back and put his hand on Merlin’s forehead. “You’re awfully warm.”

“I think I’m coming down with something,” Merlin said. His cheeks were tinged red and his skin was even paler than it had been that morning. Immediately contrite, Arthur led Merlin over to the bed.

“Off with your clothes, and I don’t mean for recreational purposes.” He helped Merlin out of his trousers and shirt and got him into bed. “Are you hungry? I brought you some prime rib.” Arthur pulled the food out of his pocket.

Merlin laughed, eyes crinkling at the corners.

“I can’t believe you nicked food at your sister’s wedding rehearsal dinner. How did it go, by the way?”

Arthur walked into the small bathroom and wet a flannel. Bringing it back, he folded it and laid it across Merlin’s forehead.

“It went just fine. They’ll do great tomorrow, and then we can leave.”

“Arthur, this is your sister’s wedding. Your only family. Savour it.”

Arthur sat on the edge of the bed and smiled down at the man he loved more than anyone in the world.

“I’ll try. But it will never be as beautiful as our wedding.”

“Obviously.” Merlin smiled back.

Arthur ran his fingers over Merlin’s, pausing to rub at the smooth gold of Merlin’s wedding band.

“Do you want to eat?”

“I ordered some soup from room service, thanks.”

“Something for the fever?”

“Already took it.”

“Well, you don’t need me at all, do you?”

Merlin reached up and cupped Arthur’s cheek.

“I’ll always need you, pudge muffin.”

Arthur snorted and smacked Merlin’s arm. It was a long-standing joke between them; Merlin said that Arthur’s eating habits were making him fat, when they both knew the time Arthur spent at the gym would never allow it.

Merlin grinned and pinched a non-existent roll at Arthur’s middle.

Arthur leaned down and gently kissed Merlin on the forehead before turning off the lamp.

“Want me to stay until you fall asleep?”

Merlin nodded, and Arthur slipped off his shoes and curled up beside him.

It was much later when Arthur awoke. The room was dim, and Merlin snored softly beside Arthur on the bed. Arthur eased himself up and slipped on his shoes. With a last glance at Merlin, Arthur walked quietly to the door and opened it a crack, carefully looking up and down the hall before exiting for his own room.


	3. Chapter Three

The day of the wedding greeted them with a torrent of rain. Luckily, the wedding was to be held in the hotel, so there would be no mad dash under umbrellas. Everyone was franticly busy with their assigned tasks, the whole world seeming to narrow down to one particular hour—two o’clock.

“Merlin, are you ready?” Arthur knocked on the door. Merlin immediately appeared, dressed in his best suit. He looked Arthur over.

“You look amazing in that tux.”

“Thanks. How are you feeling?” Arthur asked, aborting his reach to feel Merlin’s head as he heard the now-familiar American baritone that signaled Bud Billings coming down the hall.

“Not any worse,” Merlin said. “I’ll make it. I took more ibuprofen.” He closed the door behind him.

Arthur found he was extremely nervous. Before that moment, he hadn’t given much thought to the fact that he was giving his only sister to a man he barely knew, trust Morgana as he did.

“It’ll be fine,” Merlin said, reading Arthur’s mind. “Unclench.”

“I’m a bit shocked you noticed what I was clenching,” Arthur teased.

“Never too ill to notice that particular part of your anatomy.”

Once in the room where the wedding was to take place, Arthur and Merlin split up, Merlin to be seated on the bride’s side, and Arthur to the room where Morgana was having a freak-out amongst her bridesmaids.

“I don’t know if I can do this!” Her voice hit a shrill note. The women around her tried to placate her.

“Morgana, you look beautiful!” her maid-of-honour, Katherine, gushed.

“Like in a fairytale,” another said. Privately, Arthur thought Morgana’s dress an atrocity of poofy white frills.

“Oh, go away,” Morgana groused. “All of you. I want to talk to my brother.”

The women seemed only too glad to do so, and headed for the door in a puff of perfume that set Arthur to sneezing. The sudden increase in volume in the piano music signaled that the groom and his entourage were getting into place.

“Arthur, am I doing the right thing?” Morgana asked, sounding more like a little girl than she ever had when she actually was one.

“Of course, Morgana,” Arthur said. “You never do anything without weighing the pros and cons. In fact, I’d be surprised if you hadn’t got the board’s approval.”

Morgana’s mouth tilted up.

“You know me so well. I love him, Arthur.”

“You’d better,” Arthur said.

“I hope we’ll be half as happy as you and Merlin are.”

“I hope you are, too.”

Morgana fidgeted with one of the white ribbons on her dress.

“I thought I’d never marry.”

“I thought no one would have you.”

“Prat.”

“Bint.”

The wedding march began playing, and Arthur held out his arm for Morgana to take. He kissed her cheek.

“You make a beautiful bride, Morgana. Even in that godawful gown. Princess Di had nothing on you.”

“Oh, don’t make me cry!” Morgana wiped under her eyes with her fingers.

Everyone stood as Arthur and Morgana appeared and remained standing until Arthur handed Morgana off to Steve. Arthur took a seat in the front row, annoyed that Merlin couldn’t be beside him. Dammit, Merlin was his husband, and he _should_ be beside him! _Fuck Steve’s twatty parents!_ Arthur crossed his arms over his chest and stared petulantly forward.

The nuptials went quickly. Arthur was thankful that Morgana and Steve hadn’t written their own vows. Afterward, there was posing for pictures to endure. Hours of pictures, or it seemed to Arthur. When he finally walked into the reception hall, his eyes eagerly combed the crowd for Merlin. He found him by the champagne fountain.

“Should have known this is where you’d be, you lush.”

Flashes went off as the photographer got a shot of Morgana and Steve cutting the cake and then another of the two of them cramming it into one another’s mouths.

“Are you all right, Merlin?” Merlin cheeks were still flushed, and his mouth turned down at the corners as though in discomfort.

“Stomach hurts,” Merlin said, tone clipped.

“Maybe you should go upstairs and lie down.”

“I’m fine.” Merlin took a sip of champagne, hand shaking a bit.

“Merlin-“

“First dance!” Someone shouted, and Arthur recognized the sappy love song Morgana always swore she’d have at her wedding. He and Merlin stepped back with the rest of the crowd as Morgana and Steve took to the dance floor. Arthur watched for several moments, lost in memories of his tom-boy sister climbing trees and having mud fights with him. Where had she gone?

Merlin gripped Arthur’s arm, and Arthur turned to look at him, alarmed to find his husband doubled up in pain.

“Merlin?”

“Hey, is he okay?” someone asked.

“Merlin, love, are you all right?” Arthur crouched in front of Merlin and looked up into his face.

“God, it hurts, Arthur,” Merlin said between clenched teeth. As more and more people noticed, a small crowd began to form around them, asking what the trouble was. Arthur heard Bud’s voice rise above the rest, just behind Arthur.

“Something wrong with your PA, Arthur?”

Ire and worry at Merlin’s drawn face and increasing gasps of pain washed over Arthur in an overwhelming tide, launching him to his feet.

“He’s not my PA, he’s my husband!” Arthur shouted as he swung around. “Now, somebody call an ambulance!”

“Your husband!” _Could the man’s voice be any more obnoxious?_ “What do you mean, he’s your husband? I thought he worked for you! You’re no pillow biter—“

“I assure you, I am, _Bud_. Now move out of my way.”

“Arthur?” Morgana was beside him, holding the flouncy folds of her dress high off the ground.

“He’s hurting,” Arthur said. He had Merlin around he waist, holding him so that he didn’t curl up on the floor. One of Merlin’s arms gripped his stomach, and he moaned pitifully. Arthur’s heart clenched.

“Here’s a chair,” someone said, and Arthur carefully lowered Merlin onto it.

“He says Merlin’s his husband,” Bud said to Morgana. “What’s he talking about?”

“Dad, come over here.” Steve took his father by the arm.

“I want to know what he’s talking about!”

“Arthur…fuck, Arthur, it hurts so much!” Merlin rocked forward in the folding chair, and Arthur knelt in front of him.

“Where does it hurt exactly, love?”

“How could he be his husband--” Bud was still demanding answers, voice rising in agitation.

“Would you shut the fuck UP?” Arthur shot to his feet and yelled into Bud’s shocked face. “Yes, he’s my husband. Because we’re married, you arse! We pretended not to be so as not to offend your asinine, po-dunk, bigoted sensibilities! Now get out of my sight, before I smash your fucking face into the wall!”

“Arthur…” Merlin tugged at Arthur’s sleeve.

Arthur knelt again, voice softening. “I’m right here, love.”

“Did you just say…po-dunk?”

Arthur’s mouth twitched.

“Where is it hurting, young man?” A portly guest pushed his way through the crowd. “I’m a physician.”

“My stomach… here.” Merlin pointed to his lower abdomen. “I’ve been feeling nauseous for a couple of days, and I’ve had a fever all night. My navel was sore…but now it’s this awful pain…” His face screwed up in agony.

“Sounds like your appendix,” the man said. “We need to get you to a hospital.”

“I rang for an ambulance,” a middle-aged woman that Arthur thought might have been a friend of his late-father’s said. Arthur could have kissed her. He rubbed Merlin’s knees lightly.

“Everything’s going to be fine, love. Just breathe. We’ll get you to the hospital in no time.”

It seemed to take hours for the ambulance to arrive, and Arthur could feel the sweat dripping down his back under his starched shirt. He’d shed his tuxedo jacket and tie long ago. He was terrified that Merlin’s appendix would rupture—couldn’t that kill a person?

Finally, the crowd parted for the paramedics with the stretcher and the portly physician filled them in. Arthur was thankful, as he didn’t think he could string together a coherent sentence at the moment, much less give them a satisfying report on what was going on. Arthur held Merlin’s hand all the way outside to the ambulance.

“I want to come with him,” Arthur told the paramedics. “I’m his husband.”

“I’ll follow in my car, Arthur,” Morgana said from behind him.

“Morgana, it’s your wedding reception. Merlin wouldn’t want you to.”

“Bollocks, I’m coming.”

Arthur climbed into the ambulance, and the last thing he saw before they shut the doors was his sister’s determined face.

Moments after they arrived at the A & E, and Merlin had been taken to be quickly assessed, Morgana and Steve arrived, attracting the attention of the waiting area with their wedding regalia.

“I’m sorry, Arthur,” Morgana sniffled into her fist until Steve handed her some tissue from the front desk. “Merlin should have been sitting there with you. He should have taken part in all of this. He’s my brother, too.”

“Lord, is it incest on top of fudge-packing?” a familiar voice boomed, and Arthur thought for a moment he was stuck in some kind of alternate universe where Bud Billings could appear at whim and shout homophobic euphemisms at him.

“Dad.” Steve took Bud by the arm and tugged him toward the door.

“Did you bring that prick with you?” Arthur asked his sister incredulously.

“Of course not! He must have come on his own.”

“I had to make sure my son doesn’t expose himself to some dangerous faggot illness,” Bud said, moon face red with indignation. “What is the meaning of this, Stephen? Did you know you were marrying into this degradation?”

Arthur leapt forward, ready to use Bud’s ugly Western tie to strangle him. Morgana grabbed one of Arthur’s arms, succeeding in holding Arthur back long enough for Steve to drag Bud out the large double doors to the parking lot. She was surprisingly strong for a woman in an enormous wedding gown, Arthur thought as his mind cleared of its fury.

“Let’s go back and see about Merlin,” Morgana said, pushing the loose tendrils of her ruined hairstyle from her eyes.

“They were taking him straight to surgery.” Arthur made for the lifts, the sound of Morgana’s swooshing skirts and mounds of taffeta following him.

“God, Morgana, Merlin’s got to be all right,” Arthur said when they were on their way up to the surgical floor. The lift kept stopping and letting people on. Arthur felt like he was going to go mad if he didn’t get news on Merlin in the next sixty seconds.

“He’ll be fine, Arthur. They’ll get his appendix out and everything will be okay.” She ran her hand over Arthur’s arm soothingly. “They do this type of surgery all the time. They could probably do it in their sleep.”

“You’re not helping,” Arthur said. The lift opened, and Arthur rushed out, pushing past several people. Morgana followed, muttering apologies.

“Merlin Emrys-Pendragon,” Arthur practically shouted at the woman behind the desk. She stared, uncomprehending.

“Is that a name?”

“He was brought up for an appendectomy,” Morgana put in helpfully.

“Oh, yes,” the woman said after briefly taking in the rather alarming sight of Morgana in her wedding frock. “He’s in operating theatre one. They’re going to take out his appendix using a laparoscope. It’s quite non-evasive. He should be able to leave in twenty-four hours.”

“How long does the surgery take?” Arthur asked, calming a little.

“About an hour and a half, give or take. If all goes well, of course.”

“What’s _that_ supposed to mean?”

“Arthur, calm down.” Morgana said.

“Are you two getting married?” the woman asked. “You make a lovely couple.”

“She’s my sister,” Arthur barked. “My _husband_ is in surgery.”

Morgana led Arthur away from the desk before he could lecture the woman on making assumptions.

“It wasn’t such a leap, after all,” Morgana told him, “I mean, look at how we’re dressed.” Arthur sat down in the waiting room, and Morgana fetched him some awful coffee from a machine. It tasted like the inside of a tire.

Morgana sat down beside Arthur, her billowing skirts covering his legs as well as the seat on her other side, and scrolled through her mobile.

“Steve’s taken his father back to the hotel.”

“He’d better keep that arsehole away from me and Merlin,” Arthur said darkly. “This is all his fault.”

“Admittedly, Bud’s a homophobic fuck-twit, but I don’t see how you can hold him responsible for Merlin’s appendicitis.”

“Well, I do. It was probably those god-awful hot wings.”

Morgana laughed.

“Oh, Arthur. You silly goose.” She hugged him, and he lay his head on her shoulder.

“He’s got to be okay, Morgana.”

“He will be. I promise.”

Almost two hours later when Arthur walked into recovery, his heart clenched at the sight of Merlin lying on the cot, all kinds of tubes coming out of him and a dopey, drugged-up look on his face.

“How do you feel?” Arthur asked after kissing Merlin lightly on the nose.

“Goo-ood,” Merlin replied, smiling broadly. “Oh, look!” Merlin turned his head. “A faerie! A _big_ one!”

Arthur looked over his shoulder to find Morgana standing there, her monstrosity of a wedding gown taking up most of the doorway.

“That’s Morgana, you goof.”

“Has she come for the tooth under my pillow?”

“Oh, my God, no.” Arthur shook his head.

“Now that we know he’s going to be okay, I’m going back to the hotel.” Morgana was grinning.

“I’m sorry this messed up your wedding, Morgana.” Arthur hugged her to him.

“Nonsense. The wedding was perfect, and the reception was…interesting. Now for the honeymoon. Take care, brother dear.” She kissed his cheek. “And you, too, brother-in-law.”

“Bye, pretty faerie!” Merlin called as Morgana disappeared around the corner, laughing.

Arthur sagged into the chair beside Merlin’s bed. “This trip has been atrocious.”

Merlin seemed to be fighting to keep his eyes open.

“Never mind. Get some rest, love.” Arthur took Merlin’s hand in his and watched him fall into a doze.

****

Twenty-four hours later, Arthur had Merlin back at the hotel. He’d moved into Merlin’s room and changed their flight, postponing it for a couple of days.

“We can have a little honeymoon ourselves,” Arthur said, lying down on the bed beside Merlin and picking up the TV remote. Merlin snuggled up to Arthur’s side. “Although Morgana’s promised us a ski chalet in recompense.”

“You know what the best moment of this trip was?” Merlin asked after a moment of watching Arthur flicking from one channel to another.

“When Morgana changed out of that fat cloud she was wearing?” Arthur asked.

“Nope. It was when you yelled that I’m your husband, not your PA, for everyone at the wedding reception to hear.”

Arthur looked down at Merlin.

“Well, you were in agony, and that bloody berk was shouting homophobic slurs at us.”

Merlin smiled and kissed Arthur’s arm.

“My hero.”

Arthur turned off the TV and re-positioned himself so that he was lying on his side facing Merlin.

“You scared me, Merlin.”

“I know. I’m sorry.”

Arthur took a deep breath, moving as close to Merlin as he could get. Their noses touched and their knees brushed, and Arthur looked into Merlin’s eyes.

“I love you, you know.”

“I know.” Merlin nodded. “Same.”

Arthur smiled, and Merlin smiled back, hand reaching for Arthur’s and entwining their fingers.

“I never want to pretend we aren’t a couple again,” Merlin said.

“Same.” Arthur yawned, and Merlin yawned back.

They gazed at one another until, eyes heavy with sleep, they both drifted off.

 

\---End---

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> If you enjoy reading gay romance, check out my original stories [here.]()


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